Issue: #13 | April 2015

EARTHQUAKE

STRIKING THE SEISMIC BALANCE

In this issue:
BHUJ EARTHQUAKE:
From Ruins To Building An
Investor's Paradise

JAPAN :What India Can Learn

from the Leader in Disaster
Preparedness

It Shakes, It Will Shake,

Are You Prepared?

Tweets of The
Month

Fiinobservation of National
Days

www.inova on.co.in

From the
Mr. Soumitro Chakraborty
CEO, Fiinova on (Innova ve Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd.)

CEOs Desk

On 25th April, Nepal was struck with a tragedy that led to widespread destruction and damage to
life and property. At this hour of grief, I would like to express my solidarity with the people of Nepal. I
would also like to praise the Indian government, the Indian Army, NDRF, the disaster relief
professionals and the medical professionals for their quick response to the relief efforts and for
standing together with Nepal.
In the wake of the recent tragedy, a huge discussion has triggered off on how prepared we are for
earthquakes. It has been brought to light that the capital of India does not have the strength to
withstand a quake. It is a matter of grave concern and one that needs a lot of deliberation and
urgent action to at least mitigate the impact of an earthquake, if and when there might be one.
This edition of our newsletter is dedicated to the theme 'Earthquakes Striking the Seismic
Balance' that aims to explore areas which can contribute to a far more resilient future for us as a
nation. We, at Fiinovation, understand the need to focus our efforts towards proper planning,
strategy and implementation of effective policies to face natural calamities.
For years, scientists have warned us about the likelihood of earthquakes in high risk seismic zones.
Yet, we continue to take their warnings for granted. In the 1800s, there was one city in the world
that had a million people, and that was Beijing. Today, there are 381 cities, with at least a million
people.
It is in this pretext that I urge governments, corporations and civil societies to focus efforts
towards building far more resilient societies and human dwellings. Through education, skill
development, reinforcement, disaster preparedness, disaster preventive mechanisms and
warning systems, we can face earthquakes. I urge individuals not to ignore the risks anymore.
I dedicate this month to a vision of a stronger world.

WE

WITH

NEPAL

01

BHUJ EARTHQUAKE:
From Ruins To Building An Investor's Paradise
Kutch is a secluded district in Gujarat located in northwest India. Fifteen year ago, in
2001, while India celebrated 52nd year of being a republic, Bhuj (municipality of Kutch)
experienced an earthquake that transformed buildings into rubbles in a matter of
seconds. Flattening the geography, the impact spread to more than 8000 collapsed
villages, making a million people homeless. Many estimated the regional economy to
retrogress by many years.

Basic Facts
Earthquake: 8:46am on January 26, 2001
Epicenter: Near Bhuj in Gujarat, India
Magnitude: 7.9 on the Richter Scale

The government's quick response to

r escue pr ovided r elief and
rehabilitation to the affected
areas. Immediate help started
pouring in the region from across the
globe and the misery was overshadowed by
development. To support government actions,
approximately 180 million dollars were routed to the
region from Indians around the world. The
monetary support was put to good use by the
government which designed a plan to help restructure and develop Bhuj into an investor's
paradise. Out of the budget, two billion dollars were
allocated towards re-structuring the region.
It took more than a decade for the state to implement the plan and create a
new horizon for Bhuj to be re-born as a developing economy. Accounting for
India's ve percent of the total population, Bhuj was made a tax-free zone for the
industries to invest which led to setting up of manufacturing and industrial units in the
region. This helped boost private investments, having already invested more than ten
billion dollars. The increase in business activities created huge employment
opportunities in the region. The Mundra port, expected to be larger than Mumbai port
has played a signicant role in developing a conducive business environment, offering
vast land area and cheap labour. The region has showcased tenacity in building an
economy out of absolutely nothing.

Impacts
Destruction of 80% of water and food sources
Damage to 400,000 Indian homes rendering 2
million people homeless
Destruction of over 15km of tarmac road
networks
Total damage estimated at around $7 billion

Bhuj is re-born...

Business boom: 300 companies established their businesses in Kutch

Mechanized looms at factory in Anjar weaves 2,50,000 towels a day. This is the world's biggest towel factory, rst to be set up
within 9 months
No direct and indirect taxes, no excise duties for 5 years
Small shing port turned into an industrial hub
Ten years into the devastation, around 110,000 new jobs were created in Kutch
Creation of two new ring-roads, an airport, parks and thriving shops
Construction of wider roads, water supply systems and underground drainage systems
Extension of 400 km water pipeline from Narmada

02

JAPAN
What India Can Learn from the Leader
in Disaster Preparedness
Japan, the land of rising sun, is the fth most earthquake-prone country in the world. Falling under an active
seismic zone, it has witnessed probably the highest number of earthquakes and tsunamis than any other
country. Having survived the quake of 1923, the World War devastation and successive earthquakes, Japan
has left no stone unturned to ensure the best disaster preparedness.
Due to their preparedness, Japan has been able to cope up with catastrophic natural
occurrences. The country has made numerous changes in its construction, laws and ensured
mandatory drills across schools to face calamities.
Without a doubt, it leads in disaster management. We take a
look at their preparedness:

Japan's Preparedness:

"Risk

recognition" is the rst step towards

lectures, mass media campaigns, science
awareness about earthquake risk.

disaster mitigation, Hence, public

shows and governmental meetings are organised to create

Anti-earthquake infrastructure have been built

with deep foundations and humongous shock-absorbers that reduce

the seismic energy.

Immediately after an earthquake strikes, all the digital media, majorly television and radio switch to an auto-mode and start displaying the
risks that might strike. This helps the authorities to communicate on 'what to do if an earthquake happens'.

A real-time Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) alert is automatically triggered whenever any seismometer detects a seismic signal. There
are alerts to the public through the media and the Internet. Trains, elevators and industrial machines are stopped automatically.

Annual disaster prevention drill in Japanese schools are conducted where children practise ducking under the desk throughout their
school years. They are trained with the use of evacuation-chutes and earthquake simulation machines.

Every ofce and house is always stocked with dry rations, drinking water, basic medical supplies for the people who might get trapped
during a crisis.

All ofces and schools are loaded with adequate hard hats and gloves at all times.
Another country which also lies in a high risk seismic zone is India. Needless to say, it does not have mechanisms in place to handle high
magnitude quakes like Japan does. While not all steps can be emulated and borrowed from Japan, we can take few important measures and
incorporate it in our life. Let's see what India can borrow from Japan.

What India can learn:

Risk recognition is crucial for bringing in effective changes, in the absence of which, India cannot take the rst step to withstand
earthquakes.

Organising public awareness campaigns, lectures, government meetings can help in sensitising people about the measures to be taken
during earthquakes.

Amendments in the standard building law is required for building quake-resistant structures.
All schools should compulsorily conduct drills to educate children on taking necessary steps when a quake occurs.
Cities in high risk zones should be equipped with centralised communication system that can alert people whenever there is a seismic
activity.

03

The recent earthquake in Nepal not only attened buildings,

decade and triggered tremors shaking India, but also put
nation, are we taking necessary steps to prepare ourselves

killed thousands, sent the economy back by a

forward the basic question in front of us - As a
for earthquakes?

As per the United States Geological Survey, there are

an average, one with the magnitude of more than 8
small magnitudes which often go unnoticed, however, the
experienced highest number of deaths while Japan bore
say earthquakes don't take lives, man-made

several million earthquakes occurring each year. On

occurs each year. Out of this, majority of them are of
larger ones are catastrophic. Among this, China has
highest economic loss. If you ask the experts, they will
constructions do.

The tragedy in Nepal is similar to that of Haiti in 2010,

(Tsunami) that led to massive loss of life but limited
have caught Nepal off guard but it wasn't a surprise.

Kashmir in 2005 and the Indian Ocean in 2004

nancial loss. The seismic activity on 25th April might

The Himalayan nation sits astride a massive subduction

Eurasian plate. The Indo-Australian Plate broke off from
moving northwards displacing an ancient sea, travelling
ever drifted - and slammed into the Eurasian
Himalayas. As there is no stop to this, India still
while the Himalayas still grows 1 cm every year. As
the boundaries among them generally builds up for
earthquakes are consequences of these 'all-at-once'
tectonic plates. Therefore, experts have been
Kathmandu earthquake.

zone caused by the Indo-Australian plate and the

the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, and started
more than 2,000 km - the fastest a tectonic plate has
plate, creating the world mightiest mountain range, the
grinds northeast into Asia at roughly 5 cm every year
the tectonic plates are stiff, pressures and strains at
centuries eventually getting released all at once. The
releases and generally occur on the boundaries of two
warning about the strong likelihood of a catastrophic

India and Nepal lie on the region where there is higher

some of these high risk regions, earthquakes occur
earthquakes with higher magnitude and intensity every
future, these large shocks are expected to continue for

risk of strong earthquakes frequently striking the area. In

periodically. While it is known that Nepal is hit by
75 years, California is hit by quakes every 500 years. In
millions of years.

04
Despite adequate technology to reduce earthquake
Pakistan and Iran have not taken steps to modernize
impact of quakes varies from structure to structure,
to be followed.

deaths and destruction, countries such as Nepal, India,

their building codes and warning systems. Though the
there are some basic and general guidelines that need

These guidelines may include:

Construction on bedrock, tying up of buildings

together and using steel to reinforce concrete

buildings

Development should be spread across the region

Evacuation and rehabilitation might be the best

and not concentrated at one point

policy, but controlling the rapidly growing population in

seismic zones can be a great move

Establishment of stricter laws with penal provisions

The local government and civic authorities should step

on constructions done hastily should be imposed.

up efforts to curb corruption, malpractices and weak

governance.

Disaster preparedness should be included in school

curriculum along with developing skills of local

masons, construction workers and the local people

As Nepal's economy takes a setback with the
ancient monuments and artifacts, foreign-owned luxury
place to start reinforcing buildings. This will create
their hotels or buildings, providing jobs for masons and
will ensure all buildings become quake resistant. Therefore,
reduce the impact of earthquake on lives and property.
Let the earth, quake and shakebut let there be no loss to

destruction of heritage sites, including loss of

hotels, businesses and factories can be a good
incentives for competitors to also begin reinforcing
architects, ensuring positive spillover effects that
with planning and concerted efforts, we can

life.

05

Tweets of The Month

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Food for Thought...

The most powerful earthquake ever recorded on Earth was in
Valdivia, Chile. Occurring in 1960, it had a magnitude of 9.5.
The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) records an
average of 20,000 earthquakes every year (about 50 a day)
around the world. There are, however, millions of earthquakes
estimated to occur every year that are too weak to be recorded.
Almost 80% of all the planet's earthquakes occur along the rim of
the Pacic Ocean, called the "Ring of Fire"; a region that encircles
the Pacic Ocean and is home to 452 volcanoes (over 75% of the
world's active and dormant volcanoes).
When the Chilean earthquake occurred in 1960, seismographs
recorded seismic waves that traveled all around the Earth. These
seismic waves shook the entire earth for many days! This
phenomenon is called the free oscillation of the Earth.l
The 9.1 Mw earthquake that generated the great Indian Ocean
tsunami of 2004, one of the deadliest tsunamis in known history,
is estimated to have released the energy of 23,000 Hiroshimatype atomic bombs, according to the U.S. Geological
Survey.62.04 million and 66.96 million respectively.

Hear the Inuencers Speak...

"Once you have been in an earthquake you know, even if you survive without a
scratch, that like a stroke in the heart, it remains in the earth's breast, horribly
potential, always promising to return, to hit you again, with an even more
devastating force."
- Salman Rushdie,
The Ground Beneath Her Feet

"Some of the greatest survivors have been women. Look at the courage so many
women have shown after surviving earthquakes in the rubble for days on end."
- Bear Grylls,
Bri sh adventurer, writer and television presenter

"I think that harping on [earthquake] prediction is something between a will-o'the-wisp and a red herring. Attention is thereby diverted away from positive
measures to eliminate earthquake risk."
- Charles Francis Richter,
American seismologist and physicist

"Earthquakes traveling through the interior of the globe are like so many
messengers sent out to explore a new land. The messages are constantly coming
and seismologists are fast learning to read them."
- Reginald Aldworth Daly,
Canadian geologist

"To the people in Nepal and the region affected by this tragedy, we send our
heartfelt sympathies. The United States stands with you during this difcult time."
- John Kerry,,
United States Secretary of State

06

Fiinobservation of National Days

World Autism Awareness Day
2 April

International Day of Sport for

Development of Peace

World Health Day

7 April

6 April

Declared by the United Nations as World

Autism Awareness Day, 2nd April stands as
a reminder to bring the condition of autism
to light. Internationally recognized and
dedicated to autism, this day seeks to
highlight and become the voice of children
and adults who ar e undiagnosed,
misunderstood or looking for help.
India also has a high number of people
suffering from ASD. There is a tremendous
lack of awareness and misunderstanding
about autism among the medical
professionals, who at times either
misdiagnose or under diagnose the
condition. Moreover, there are a multitude
of people with autism who are left
undiagnosed and hence, do not receive the
care they need. One of the major difculties
faced by parents of children with autism in
India is obtaining an accurate diagnosis.
If people with autism are to have an
opportunity to reach their maximum
potential and have dignied future, the
community will have to continue to work
together as a team and advocate for the
rights of this often marginalized and
vulnerable section in the society.

The year 2014-15 saw a splendid

celebration of Indian sports in the national
and international arena. With numerous
events across different sports genres and
all over the world, the Indian ag was
hoisted with pride by sportspersons and
fans alike.
Sports are essential for human
development. Besides being entertaining, it
promotes good health, social interaction
and healthy competition. It is inclusive and
at the same time, fosters harmony, a sense
of pride and on all occasions instills intense
patriotism.
The road to development through sports will
stand or fall on the combined efforts of the
individual, government, private sector
organization, non-prot organization,
media, international agencies and sports
personalities. Lets breed a culture where
our nation is known for creating world class
sports personalities. We need more Mary
Kom, Yogeshwar Dutt, Babita Kumari,
Sardar Singh, Abhinav Bindra, Sachin
Tendulkar, Sarita Devi

With the aim to bring myriad issues

affecting health to light, WHO celebrates
World Health Day every year on 7th April.
This year, the theme is Food Safety" and
rightly so. It may sound alarming but as per
the report by WHO, unhealthy food is
responsible for more than 200 diseases
while 2 million deaths reported in the world
occur due to contaminated food and drinking
water.
We talk about HIV, TB, malaria, polio and
cancer awareness, we forget to focus on
basic necessities like clean water and safe
food. As citizens, we also do not put much
effort in ensuring consumption of clean food,
compromising on the quality we get. Most
of us dont even bother to check the content
labels on the packets of processed food.
We must understand that our well being is in
our own hands. With the right kind of food
safety policies by the Government and
awareness among the people, a healthy
lifestyle can be created in the country. This
will lead to a healthy economy and utilisation
of the full capacity of its workforce, instead
of spending resources on ghting diseases.

About Fiinovation
Fiinovation, a research based organization, is an integrated solution enabler in the CSR and sustainability domain. It is focused towards
enhancing quality across organizational value chain through meaningful innovation thereby ensuring sustainability. It is Asia's rst proposal
research laboratory wherein research is focused primarily on four sectors, which include health, education, livelihood and environment. The
practices CSR Portfolio Management (CPM), CSR-CSO Partnership, Initiative Design, Initiative Management, Monitoring and Evaluation,
Impact Assessment and Sustainability Reporting help provide simple solutions to their partners.
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